Jed Mercurio

Writing Drama For Television

A complete course taught by Jed Mercurio, acclaimed screenwriter of Line of Duty and Bodyguard. Designed to take you from first draft and set you on the path to final script.


• One off course purchase, no ongoing commitment
• Rewatch as often as you like

Jed Mercurio is one of TV’s greatest and most prolific talents. Considered one of Britain’s most successful television writers, his shows are some of the most popular, regularly breaking viewing figure records. He’s written stories that cover everything from police anti-corruption, close protection and overworked junior doctors. His credits include Line of Duty, Bodyguard, Bodies, The Grimleys and Cardiac Arrest. He’s been nominated for, and won, multiple television and writing awards, including being nominated for both Emmy and Golden Globe awards for Bodyguard. When he’s not writing hugely-successful TV drama, he likes to relax by producing and directing his shows.

Lesson 1
Writers Are Made, Not Born
Begin your journey into television writing and discover your value as a new writer.
15 mins

Lesson 2
Inspiration
Where do you find ideas for your own television series? Jed will show you.
6 mins

Lesson 3
Developing Ideas
How to take your inspiration and turn it into a premise for a TV series.
16 mins

Lesson 4
What Kind Of Show Are You Making?
Learn about the different types of series, and what every long-running TV show must have.
13 mins

Lesson 5
The Setting
How to create successful settings and invigorate well-trodden paths.
9 mins

Lesson 6
Relationship Between Character And Setting
How characters affect the world you’ve built. Recognising, using and twisting TV tropes.
15 mins

Lesson 7
Starting The Pilot
Discover different ways to bring the audience into your world.
13 mins

Lesson 8
The Content Of The Pilot
How to pitch, plan and create an incredible outline for your own television pilot.
24 mins

Lesson 9
Story Architecture
Using structure and ambition to develop a more dynamic television series.
17 mins

Lesson 10
Inciting Incidents
Conceiving events that have a profound effect on your characters and story.
15 mins

Lesson 11
Science Of A Story
Critical mass and chain reaction - how to construct explosive moments and the natural story that follows.
19 mins

Lesson 12
Set-Ups And Natural Story
Creating impact, raising the stakes, and leaving your audience wanting more.
15 mins

Lesson 13
Story Events
How to stop backstory and flashbacks damaging your story.
13 mins

Lesson 14
Plots And Subplots
Creating and connecting evocative story strands.
10 mins

Lesson 15
Episodes
Exciting and diverse episodes, shocking your audience, and avoiding the mid-season dip.
23 mins

Lesson 16
Projecting Forward - The Series Bible Part 1
What is a series bible? What fundamental questions should it answer?
15 mins

Lesson 17
Projecting Forward - The Series Bible Part 2
Shaping key moments in your series and showcasing your characters.
12 mins

Lesson 18
Coefficients Of Narrative Power 1
Mystery - how to keep viewers guessing and invested.
10 mins

Lesson 19
Coefficients Of Narrative Power 2
Jeopardy - keeping your audience on the edge of their seats.
10 mins

Lesson 20
Coefficients Of Narrative Power 3
Forward Momentum - powerful ways to keep your story moving.
12 mins

Lesson 21
Dialogue
Why Jed believes, against popular opinion, that dialogue is the least important element in your script.
23 mins

Lesson 22
Attenuators Of Narrative Power 1
Confusion - avoiding incoherence and the loss of your audience.
13 mins

Lesson 23
Attenuators Of Narrative Power 2
Implausibility - coincidence, Deus ex Machina, and making events unpredictable yet plausible.
14 mins

Lesson 24
Attenuators Of Narrative Power 3
Boredom - how to stop your…yawn… audience from getting bored.
7 mins

Lesson 25
Mastering your craft
The qualities you need to be a successful television writer.
13 mins

Lesson 26
Fallacies
In television there are three main fallacies. Here’s how to prove them wrong.
17 mins

Lesson 27
Rewriting And Collaboration
Jed demystifies the challenges professional writers face during production.
9 mins

Lesson 28
Career Development
Simple ways to break into the television industry.
11 mins
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